Illinois Dental Hygienist CE

How many CE hours do Illinois dental hygienists need?

Illinois dental hygienist CE totals 36 hours every 3 years, due September 30 of the renewal year, the same fixed statewide date Illinois dentists share. Dentists owe 48 hours under the same rule ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.440 ). Your next renewal is September 30, 2027. No more than 50 percent of your hours, which is 18, may come from correspondence or self-study courses. The other 18 hours must be live, in person or by moderated teleconference. Start with the Illinois dental hygienist CE package , which covers the self-study portion, then add live webinars . Looking for a different license? See Illinois dentist CE .

Which CE topics are required for Illinois dental hygienists?

Every renewal you need 1 hour of sexual harassment prevention training and 1 hour of implicit bias awareness training , and 1 hour of cultural competency training once every other renewal. IDFPR rules name dental hygienists among the covered licenses ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.400 ; 1130.500 ; 1130.525 ). Current BLS certification is a separate standing condition of licensure ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.270 ). Illinois hygienists hold no prescriptive authority, so the dentist opioid prescribing and sedation permit CE mandates do not apply.

Three items apply only to some hygienists. If you provide care to children, you complete DCFS-approved mandated reporter training within 3 months of first doing so and then every 6 years ( 325 ILCS 5/4 ). To administer local anesthesia you first complete a one-time 32 hour course, and our local anesthesia pharmacology course covers 4 of those hours ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.240(g) ). To administer and monitor nitrous oxide analgesia you complete a one-time 6 hour course unless you already finished the older 12 or 14 hour training ( 1220.240(e) ). A hygienist pursuing the Public Health Dental Hygienist credential also completes a one-time 42 hour training program and 2 years of clinical experience ( 225 ILCS 25/13.5 ).

Does Illinois accept AGD PACE credit?

The rule sets its own CE requirements and we found no named sponsor list in the sources we reviewed ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.440 ). AchieveCE is an AGD PACE approved provider (ID# 386503). Keep your certificate of completion, which lists the course, date, hours and sponsor, with your records.

Does Illinois audit dental hygienist CE?

Yes. Illinois hygienists self-attest to CE completion on the renewal application and IDFPR verifies compliance by audit. Keep evidence of your CE for at least 5 years after the renewal period in which you took it ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.440(d) ; IDFPR Dental Professions ). Illinois does not route hygienist CE through CE Broker. AchieveCE reports your completions to AGD PACE within 24 business hours, and your certificate is available the moment you finish a course. Our support team is on live chat, email, and phone, 7 days a week.

Do Illinois dental hygienists need live CE?

Yes. At least 18 of your 36 hours must be live, in person or by moderated teleconference, because self-study is capped at 50 percent ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.440 ). Our online package covers the self-study portion. Add live CE through our live webinars and the Dentistry Advanced membership .

Do newly licensed Illinois dental hygienists need CE for their first renewal?

No. Illinois exempts a dental hygienist from CE for the first renewal after initial licensure, no matter how early or late in the 3 year cycle the license was issued ( 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.440(a) ).

Other Illinois dental licenses: Illinois dentist CE . Try Free dental CE before you buy, and browse every state and license in our CE course finder .

Last verified: October 25, 2026

Sources

• 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.440, Continuing Education

• 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.270, Renewal

• 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1220.240, Prescribed Duties of Dental Hygienists

• 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.400, Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

• 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.500, Implicit Bias Awareness Training

• 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1130.525, Cultural Competency Training

• 325 ILCS 5/4, Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act

• 225 ILCS 25/13.5, Public Health Dental Hygienist Training Programs

• IDFPR, Dental Professions